Roles
A Role is the main defining feature of a character designed for Catastrophe. '''Every Role consists of one '''Active Ability, one Passive Advantage, and two Disadvantages. All PCs have a Role chosen at character creation, which may be expanded or changed at GM's discretion based on their actions during the course of several episodes. Important NPCs typically have a Role, while less influential sorts generally don't. Enforcer The Enforcer is the paragon of combat prowess, the most terrifying person on a battlefield. Enforcers are invaluable at all levels of an organization, Heroic, Calmitous, or otherwise, serving as disciplinarians for henchmen, bodyguards, or even Generals, if not at the top of the organization itself. They are the first to leap to combat as a solution to problems, and while they may be capable thinkers in a real emergency their body moves on its own, before their brains have a chance to make a plan. Berserker (Active Ability) The Enforcer is especially dangerous as they take damage during battle. Immediately upon sustaining enough Wounds to be at more than half their Max Wounds, or at any point thereafter during that scene, they may spend a Star Point '''to become '''Berserk. While Berserk, the Enforcer is an absolute terror, disregarding all decorum for brutal efficiency in crushing their foes. A Berserk character adds +2 '''to their '''Fitness. The Enforcer remains Berserk '''until the Enforcer is '''Unconscious, Dead, '''or the '''Scene '''ends.' Elite Henchmen (Advantage) The Enforcer knows to surround themselves with their best. At the beginning of a Scene in which allied Henchman are present, the Enforcer may designate one group as '''Elite'. These Elite Henchman are better equipped, more skilled, and far more loyal than the normal sort. They follow all orders given to the letter, never retreat, and all of their die rolls succeed on a 3+. ''' Someone to Protect (Disadvantage) While the Enforcer is always going to be an awful target to take on head on, this quality can work against them, because it means their foes are more likely to target the far more vulnerable people in their lives. For some this means regularly saving their spouse/boss/superior from opportunist villains, for others this can blossom into a whole weekend wasted with their mom and cat tied to two synchronous time bombs located on either end of Manhattan. At the beginning of a scene, the GM or another Player may choose to spend a '''Star Point to involve an NPC close to the Enforcer in the scene at the GM's discretion. Activation of this ability need not be disclosed to every player when the die is spent. Once their ally is revealed, they must take every Action possible to remove this person from harm's way. Failing to do so may have dire consequences for the NPC, at GM discretion. Careless (Disadvantage) When the Enforcer begins to take Wounds, they tend to press most of the world out of their perception and focus just on what needs to be killed immediately. While this is fantastic for their Fitness rolls(see Berserker), it leaves their cognitive and social abilities at a limited capacity. While the Enforcer's Wounds exceed half their Max Wounds, they suffer '-1' to their Scheming and Carousing. Experiment The Experiment is a character that has suffered a grave injustice, the result of some mad science or forbidden magic, a pariah given a horrifying visage. While they range greatly in the source, magnitude, and stability of their powers and abilities, all such victims share a life wrought in struggle. Terrifying Presence (Active Ability) The Experiment is alarming to look at during the best of times, but if necessary they quickly learn to turn their unnatural appearance into one that is truly monstrous, shaking even the most stoic foes. Once per Scene during their turn, an Experiment may choose to spend a Star Point to attempt to Terrorize every non-friendly entity that can see them. This is handled as a Fitness vs. Carousing. If the number of successes exceeds half of the target's Carousing score (rounding up), they are Terrified. Terrified characters that attempt any hostile action toward the source of their terror can only succeed on a 5+. Juggernaut (Advantage) The Experiment's body has been enhanced by whatever misfortune changed it, and for almost every Experiment this means superhuman capabilities that bring themselves to bear readily, especially in close combat. When attacking in melee, the Experiment's die rolls succeed on 3+. Unstable (Disadvantage) The Experiment is by their very nature incomplete, the truly unique result of some gross misuse of science or magic. While this certainly has its benefits, they are paired with a great deal of unpredictable biological consequences that seem to rear their ugly heads at the worst possible moment. Once per scene, the GM or another Player may spend a Star Point to cause some unexpected change in The Experiment's physiology. This makes the Experiment's true nature quite obvious, negating any attempt to disguise their appearance immediately. Otherwise the effects are largely up to the GM's imagination, and generally last until the end of the scene. Abominable (Disadvantage) The social life of the Experiment is complicated, and often involves a lot of screaming. One unfortunate common denominator for most of these folks is a clearly monstrous, unnatural, or disturbing physical appearance. Anytime they are unable to conceal their most exceptional features, the Experiment must call 2''' '''Raises on rolls to influence, persuade, or manipulate others. The only "social" action that does not incur this penalty is an attempt to intimidate another entity. Mystic The Mystic is a master of the arcane, a dedicated servant of eldritch powers, or a witch fluent in manipulating the elements, seemingly displaced from a pulpy fantasy novel. The Mystic embodies power in its rawest form, generally earned through a lifetime of study, and tends to have an ego to match it in intensity. Without a doubt they command respect by their very nature, but it is their tendency to demand it verbally that tends to undercut their prestige. It also often triggers disagreement of a decidedly physical nature, which a lifetime of mental fortitude training does little to negate. Ritual Caster (Active Ability) The Mystic's '''first instinct in any conflict is to put themselves at the utmost advantage in the situation. Luckily, thanks to their study of the world's very essence, it is a simple thing to change any given situation into one that favors the '''Mystic. At the beginning of the turn, the Mystic may spend a Star Point and elect to skip betting for Initiative. They may then describe the goals of their Spell, chant, etc. The GM will ultimately determine the number of raises required for the subsequent roll to determine the spell's success based on just how radically the Mystic intends to manipulate the reality around them. At the end of the turn, as long as the Mystic is still conscious, they may roll Scheming to determine the spell's success. If they manage enough successes, they then may describe the ways in which reality shifts to accommodate their vision, which can include everything from making the walls covered in sharp biting mouths to spawning a legion of cherubic marksmen to subdue the Mystic's '''foes. On subsequent turns, the '''Mystic may spend their action and another Star Point '''to shift or direct the spell's effects. The spell's effects last until the end of the '''Scene. Author's Note: '''The ultimate effects of this ability are entirely up to the combined imagination of the Mystic and the GM, and their ability to roll enough successes to pull it off. This may range from imprisoning the main actors of a fight in a psychic arena, covering an entire floor of an apartment building with man eating plants, or temporarily connecting one's living room to the seventh circle of hell. The important part is to think environmentally - this ability is poorly utilized to merely throw balls of flame at one's opponent, for example, which is really more of a mundane action from a mechanical perspective. It is the ability to freely manipulate the world around your character, and should be treated with the proper respect. The Lore (Advantage) The '''Mystic inevitably accumulates knowledge in their search for power, much of it irrelevant to whatever dark sorcery they're studying at the moment. This knowledge tends to seep to the forefront of their minds at the most convenient times, allowing them to answer the seemingly unknowable with the bored affect of a lifelong genius. Whenever the Mystic '''is tasked with figuring out a riddle, remembering some scholarly knowledge like history or math, or otherwise challenged on a purely intellectual basis, their die rolls succeed on a '''3+. Talkative (Disadvantage) With great knowledge comes greater ego. While the Mystic is often the most technically powerful person in any given room, it is this trait that keeps them from ruling the world. Usually. Once per scene, after Initiative is resolved but before any player declares their action, the GM or another Player may spend a Star Point to activate this disadvantage. No matter how many raises they call during Initiative, the Mystic's action will now be the last one of the turn as they have a long incantation to process first, or feel the need to educate their comrades on the finer points of magic theory, or simply want all involved to appreciate just how much has to go right to turn a nearby fountain's contents into raspberry jam. Delicate (Disadvantage) The Mystic's '''daily regiment of study, experimentation, and reflection leaves little time to spend at the gym. While many are completely neglectful of their physical form, nonetheless their voracious search for knowledge tends to take priority. When the '''Mystic takes damage from a physical source, they take 1 '''additional '''Wound. Novice Any time there is mystery, adventure, danger, or mischief afoot the Novice finds themselves thick in the middle of it, largely by accident, and most often wholly unprepared. The Novice is the heart of a team, a reminder of a simpler, more pure world, and its greatest liability, the newest member of the team, clever perhaps but inevitably lacking in the judgement and experience of a more seasoned professional. Pluck (Active Ability) The Novice in an inquisitive soul, always eager to discover something new, the first down the hole, the first caught in giant mechanical teeth or inexplicably on fire. It is this adventurous quality that gives this Role its charm, the reason it exists. To support this, the first time in a Scene in which the Novice finds themselves in some sort of Danger, they immediately gain three Star Points. Luck (Advantage) The Novice is someone that has already cheated death just by making it this far. The life of an adventurer, hero, or villain are all more than the Novice could reasonably be expected to handle, and yet those lives are somehow full of these folks, inexplicably surviving lightning death rays that would take an experienced bruiser down in a single shot. Star Points spent on additional die by the Novice succeed on a 3+. Naivety (Disadvantage) The Novice is defined by their inexperience, and they know it. While most understand the guidance of their elders is a decent substitute for actual experience, this trust in authority figures can easily be taken advantage of. Once per Scene, any Player or the GM may spend a Star Point to convince the Novice to take a single specific non-suicidal action at their next possible opportunity. Youth (Disadvantage) Others judge the Novice by their appearance, often even before their lack of experience makes itself apparent. This inherent bias means that the Novice who is actually right about the werewolf under their bed isn't going to be taken seriously without some claw marks and tufts of fur. When the Novice attempts a die roll to influence another, their die can only succeed on a 5+. Number Two Competency Supportive Subordinate Co-dependent Super Scientist Invention Prestige Expectations Dependant Super Spy Sudden Impact Face in the Crowd Duty Calls Lightly Equipped Veteran Arsenal Improvisational Old Injuries Hard to Miss Vigilante Can't Die Yet Off the Radar Independant Double Life